Train-spotting

Many people around the world have seen Danny Boyle’s movie Train spotting starring Ewan McGregor, but how many of us really know what train-spotting is all about? Now this is not considered cool in town and the word “train-spotter” in Britain is related to “geek” or “nerd” (someone who seems very ridiculous). But is this reputation really deserved?

First of all, let’s see what train-spotting is. It is said that there are some 100,000 train spotters in the UK. Exactly as the title suggests, they spot trains, that is, they stand in train stations, look at the number of each train that leaves and arrives and write it down. The eventual aim is to have seen every train in the country.

    Being crazy about railways and trains is not modern and it dates back to 1804. As the number of trains grew and they got faster and faster, so did the interest in them grow? Is this any stranger than people who love cars?

    So, what do you need to be a train-spotter? Well, all you really need is a pen or pencil and a notebook to write down the train numbers. Other equipment(装备) includes hot tea in a thermos, a camera and some sandwiches for those long afternoons spent on train platforms when you don’t want to risk the delights of railway station food.

    It’s interesting to note that despite the “bad name” of train-spotting, there have been famous railway lovers in history, such as Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed them regularly, especially The 39 Steps. There is evidence, too, that being a train-spotter is not necessarily a strange phenomenon（现象）in Britain.

    One glance at the US train stations should be enough to convince you that train-spotters there are alive and well. In America, they try to call rail lovers “train-fans” and talk of “train-fanning”. Don’t let this fool you—these people are train spotters and there are a lot of them. Each month, two million pages are visited on the website TrainWeb.org.                      

340words

1.What is train-spotting according to the passage?

A. A kind of hobby.             B. A type of sport.

C. A strange phenomenon.        D. A special job.

2.Which of the following about train-spotters is true according to the passage?

A. They number each train they see.

B. They keep a careful path of every train.

C. They count the trains passing in front of them.

D. They produce films about trains with video cameras.

3.The writer writes the passage to        .

A. introduce some famous train-spotters

B. encourage readers to do more train-spotting

C. try to present a true picture of train-spotting

D. describe the necessary equipment in train-spotting

4. What do we learn from the passage?

A. Train-spotters in the UK want to fool people.

B. Train-spotting is more acceptable in America.

C. Train-spotters are much stranger than car lovers.

D. Train-spotting relates to（与…有关）a dangerous lifestyle.

 

Train-spotting
Many people around the world have seen Danny Boyle’s movie Train spotting starring Ewan McGregor, but how many of us really know what train-spotting is all about? Now this is not considered cool in town and the word “train-spotter” in Britain is related to “geek” or “nerd” (someone who seems very ridiculous). But is this reputation really deserved?
First of all, let’s see what train-spotting is. It is said that there are some 100,000 train spotters in the UK. Exactly as the title suggests, they spot trains, that is, they stand in train stations, look at the number of each train that leaves and arrives and write it down. The eventual aim is to have seen every train in the country.
Being crazy about railways and trains is not modern and it dates back to 1804. As the number of trains grew and they got faster and faster, so did the interest in them grow? Is this any stranger than people who love cars?
So, what do you need to be a train-spotter? Well, all you really need is a pen or pencil and a notebook to write down the train numbers. Other equipment(装备) includes hot tea in a thermos, a camera and some sandwiches for those long afternoons spent on train platforms when you don’t want to risk the delights of railway station food.
It’s interesting to note that despite the “bad name” of train-spotting, there have been famous railway lovers in history, such as Alfred Hitchcock, who filmed them regularly, especially The 39 Steps. There is evidence, too, that being a train-spotter is not necessarily a strange phenomenon（现象）in Britain.
One glance at the US train stations should be enough to convince you that train-spotters there are alive and well. In America, they try to call rail lovers “train-fans” and talk of “train-fanning”. Don’t let this fool you—these people are train spotters and there are a lot of them. Each month, two million pages are visited on the website TrainWeb.org.                     
340words
【小题1】What is train-spotting according to the passage?

A．A kind of hobby.	B．A type of sport.
C．A strange phenomenon.	D．A special job.

【小题2】Which of the following about train-spotters is true according to the passage?

A．They number each train they see.

B．They keep a careful path of every train.

C．They count the trains passing in front of them.

D．They produce films about trains with video cameras.

【小题3】The writer writes the passage to        .

A．introduce some famous train-spotters

B．encourage readers to do more train-spotting

C．try to present a true picture of train-spotting

D．describe the necessary equipment in train-spotting

【小题4】 What do we learn from the passage?

A．Train-spotters in the UK want to fool people.

B．Train-spotting is more acceptable in America.

C．Train-spotters are much stranger than car lovers.

D．Train-spotting relates to（与…有关）a dangerous lifestyle.

Island University has a competition for middle school students.

Read about the competition on their web site.

School Competition

 Students! Here is your chance to help the physically disabled(残疾人). Think out a robot or a machine to help them live better. There'll be three prizes. The winning schools will each get $15,000. Read the information below:

        What do you have to do?

·Try to know problems faced by the physically disabled in Hong Kong. Write a 200-word article on the difficulties these people have to suffer each day.

·Try to know modern inventions that help the physically disabled. Then think out a robot or a machine that will improve the lives of the physically disabled. Draw your invention. You can make as many drawings as you like to show your invention. You can even make a small model of your invention.

· Write a short description of your invention.

Who can join?

All middle school students in Hang Kong.

So, come on! Join the competition, and get the chance!

1.Where can you find the information?

2.Why is the school competition held?

3.What prize will each winning school get?

4.How many words should be written on the difficulties the disabled have to suffer each day?

5.Who can join the competition?

 

Island University has a competition for middle school students.
Read about the competition on their web site.
School Competition
Students! Here is your chance to help the physically disabled(残疾人). Think out a robot or a machine to help them live better. There'll be three prizes. The winning schools will each get $15,000. Read the information below:
What do you have to do?
·Try to know problems faced by the physically disabled in Hong Kong. Write a 200-word article on the difficulties these people have to suffer each day.
·Try to know modern inventions that help the physically disabled. Then think out a robot or a machine that will improve the lives of the physically disabled. Draw your invention. You can make as many drawings as you like to show your invention. You can even make a small model of your invention.
· Write a short description of your invention.
Who can join?
All middle school students in Hang Kong.
So, come on! Join the competition, and get the chance!
【小题1】Where can you find the information?
【小题2】Why is the school competition held?
【小题3】What prize will each winning school get?
【小题4】How many words should be written on the difficulties the disabled have to suffer each day?
【小题5】Who can join the competition?

“Life’s a long, long journey(旅程)” so we are told, and most of us would not set off on a journey, even a short one, without some idea of where we wanted to go. Yet many people travel on life’s journey with no sense of direction at all.

Setting personal goals can give your life a sense of direction. Goal setting is used by top sports players, successful business people and achievers in all fields. Before you set personal goals, think about what you want to achieve with your life.

Try to set goals in some of the following categories.

· Education—Will you achieve the educational goals after finishing high-school? Are you still growing and learning? · Family—What kind of relationship（关系）do you want with your parents and other family members? ·          Creative—Do you want to achieve any artistic goals?

· Career—What job do you want to take when you grow up? What do you need to make your dream come true? · Public Service—Do you want to make the world a better place? · Physical—Are you fit enough to do the things you want to do? · Pleasure—How do you want to enjoy yourself?

Write down the goals and think about them carefully. Are they realistic? When will you be able to achieve them?

To help make the process (过程) more manageable, divide your goals into smaller tasks. For example, if you want to reach a main goal in five years, set a three-year goal, a one-year goal, a three-month goal and a one-month goal. Then create a daily To-Do List of things that you should do today. When a goal is achieved, take the time to enjoy your success. This helps you build the self-confidence.

Remember, your goals can change as time goes on. But be sure your goals are things you hope to achieve, not what your parents, family or teachers want.

1.Is life a long journey according to the passage?

2. Why do you need to set your life goal?

3.What should you consider when you set a family goal?

4.How can we achieve the main goal easily?

5.What does the writer want to tell us?